3 The public sector and civil society: introduction
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Mel Steer
Abstract
There is no definitive, universally agreed definition of what social welfare is (Lowe, 1993), and in the UK, ‘social welfare’, ‘social security’ and the ‘welfare state’ are terms that are often used interchangeably to refer to the provision of a lifeline, a safety net, to help people cope during periods of disruption or crisis. While welfare provision is often associated with the post-war social-democratic states and, in Britain, the introduction of the NHS in 1945, Alcock’s (2016) historical account demonstrates that charitable forms of welfare provision existed before, for example, the Poor Law of 1601 in England, where parishes administered relief to the destitute, and measures introduced in the 19th century that applied to large sections of the population regarding access to education, hospitals and sanitation. However, social infrastructures such as schools and hospitals were typically owned by churches and voluntary organisations, or funded by private individuals, rather than the state (Alcock, 2016). This tradition of charitable and voluntary welfare provision has continued to date, leading to the involvement of multiple actors and creating diversity in terms of the manner of service delivery, staff ethos and the purpose and accountability of the organisations.
Across the public, voluntary, community and private sectors, increased prominence is given to collectively produced welfare services through co-production and collaboration. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD, 2011) simply defines co-production in terms of a model incorporating diverse organisations operating in distinct ways and with differing levels of engagement from and involvement of civil society organisations, service users and citizens.
Abstract
There is no definitive, universally agreed definition of what social welfare is (Lowe, 1993), and in the UK, ‘social welfare’, ‘social security’ and the ‘welfare state’ are terms that are often used interchangeably to refer to the provision of a lifeline, a safety net, to help people cope during periods of disruption or crisis. While welfare provision is often associated with the post-war social-democratic states and, in Britain, the introduction of the NHS in 1945, Alcock’s (2016) historical account demonstrates that charitable forms of welfare provision existed before, for example, the Poor Law of 1601 in England, where parishes administered relief to the destitute, and measures introduced in the 19th century that applied to large sections of the population regarding access to education, hospitals and sanitation. However, social infrastructures such as schools and hospitals were typically owned by churches and voluntary organisations, or funded by private individuals, rather than the state (Alcock, 2016). This tradition of charitable and voluntary welfare provision has continued to date, leading to the involvement of multiple actors and creating diversity in terms of the manner of service delivery, staff ethos and the purpose and accountability of the organisations.
Across the public, voluntary, community and private sectors, increased prominence is given to collectively produced welfare services through co-production and collaboration. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD, 2011) simply defines co-production in terms of a model incorporating diverse organisations operating in distinct ways and with differing levels of engagement from and involvement of civil society organisations, service users and citizens.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of tables, figures and boxes v
- Notes on contributors vi
- Acknowledgements xii
- Foreword xv
- Islands of hope in a sea of despair: civil society in an age of austerity 1
- The North East of England: place, economy and people 19
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The public sector and civil society
- The public sector and civil society: introduction 37
- Innovation outside the state: the Glendale Gateway Trust 43
- The Byker Community Trust and the ‘Byker Approach’ 57
- Cafe society: transforming community through quiet activism and reciprocity 73
- ‘Computer Says No’: exploring social justice in digital services 89
- Drive to thrive: a place-based approach to tackling poverty in Gateshead 105
- City of Dreams: enabling children and young people’s cultural participation and civic voice in Newcastle and Gateshead 121
- Are we ‘all in this together’? Reflecting on the continuities between austerity and the COVID-19 crisis 137
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The civic university
- The civic university: introduction 147
- Reinventing a civic role for the 21st century: the cathedral and the university 153
- Realising the potential of universities for inclusive, innovation-led development: the case of the Newcastle City Futures Urban Living Partnership pilot 169
- Future Homes: developing new responses through new organisations 187
- The good, the bad and the disconcerting: a week in the life of university project-based learning for schools 203
- The containment of democratic innovation: reflections from two university collaborations 221
- Citizen power, the university and the North East 235
- So what is a university in any case? A grass-roots perspective on the university and urban social justice 251
- Conclusion: hope in an age of austerity and a time of anxiety 257
- Index 275
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of tables, figures and boxes v
- Notes on contributors vi
- Acknowledgements xii
- Foreword xv
- Islands of hope in a sea of despair: civil society in an age of austerity 1
- The North East of England: place, economy and people 19
-
The public sector and civil society
- The public sector and civil society: introduction 37
- Innovation outside the state: the Glendale Gateway Trust 43
- The Byker Community Trust and the ‘Byker Approach’ 57
- Cafe society: transforming community through quiet activism and reciprocity 73
- ‘Computer Says No’: exploring social justice in digital services 89
- Drive to thrive: a place-based approach to tackling poverty in Gateshead 105
- City of Dreams: enabling children and young people’s cultural participation and civic voice in Newcastle and Gateshead 121
- Are we ‘all in this together’? Reflecting on the continuities between austerity and the COVID-19 crisis 137
-
The civic university
- The civic university: introduction 147
- Reinventing a civic role for the 21st century: the cathedral and the university 153
- Realising the potential of universities for inclusive, innovation-led development: the case of the Newcastle City Futures Urban Living Partnership pilot 169
- Future Homes: developing new responses through new organisations 187
- The good, the bad and the disconcerting: a week in the life of university project-based learning for schools 203
- The containment of democratic innovation: reflections from two university collaborations 221
- Citizen power, the university and the North East 235
- So what is a university in any case? A grass-roots perspective on the university and urban social justice 251
- Conclusion: hope in an age of austerity and a time of anxiety 257
- Index 275
